Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official GMKtec and Apple sites.
2026 verdict
Light editing that turns into real timelines is where the Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB) separates itself.
A 12-core M4 Pro, 24 GB at 8533 MT/s and three Thunderbolt 5 ports are built for that jump. The GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) is the lower priced Windows desktop, with a Core i7-1185G7, a 1 TB SSD and socketed memory for ordinary office work. Choose the Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB) when the workload gets heavy on macOS, and the GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) when a small Windows PC with a larger included drive is enough.
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| Feature | GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) | Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB) | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $649.99 | $1499.00 | GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) |
| Rating | 4.4 | 4.8 | Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB) |
| Memory Type | DDR4 | LPDDR5X | Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB) |
| Memory Speed | 3200 MT/s | 8533 MT/s | Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB) |
| Memory Capacity | 16 GB | 24 GB | Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB) |
| Storage Capacity | 1 TB | 512 GB | GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) |
| CPU Model | Intel Core i7-1185G7 | M4 Pro (12-core) | Different strengths |
| Memory Configuration | Dual-channel | Unified Memory | Different strengths |
| GPU Model | Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (96 EUs, 1.35 GHz) | 16-core GPU | Different strengths |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year | Tie |
What the differences mean
Chip and operating system
The Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB) runs macOS on a 12-core M4 Pro with a 16-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. The GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) runs Windows 11 Pro on a four-core Intel Core i7-1185G7 with Iris Xe graphics and no NPU. The names look related. They are not. One is a current Apple workstation. The other is an 11th Gen Intel office PC.
Memory against storage
The Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB) has 24 GB of soldered LPDDR5X at 8533 MT/s and a 512 GB SSD that cannot be replaced. The GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) has 16 GB of DDR4-3200 in two slots, a 64 GB ceiling, and 1 TB with a second M.2 bay left free. The Mac wins on memory amount and speed. The GMKtec wins on included storage and on being able to change both later.
Ports
The Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB) has three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI and two front USB-C ports, and no USB-A. The GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) has five USB ports, including two at 10 Gbps, and a single USB-C port at 5 Gbps with DisplayPort. It is not USB4 and not Thunderbolt, despite how some listings phrase it. It does drive three 4K displays from two HDMI ports and that USB-C output. Ethernet is 2.5G on the GMKtec and Gigabit on the standard Mac.
Size and power
The GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) weighs 361 g and measures 114 x 106 x 42.5 mm, with an external 100 W brick, an HDMI cable and a VESA mount. The Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB) weighs 730 g in a 127 mm body, with the power supply inside, and it includes neither an HDMI cable nor a VESA mount. Both warranties are one year. The Mac has a speaker. The GMKtec does not.
Which one to buy if
- timelines, builds or local models are daily work
The Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB) has a 12-core M4 Pro, a 16-core GPU and 24 GB of unified memory at 8533 MT/s.
- you want Windows, a 1 TB drive and parts you can swap
The GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) includes 1 TB, two SO-DIMM slots up to 64 GB and a free second M.2 bay, at the lower price.
- the computer must mount behind a monitor
The GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) weighs 361 g and includes a VESA bracket. The Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB) does not include a mount.
- you need Thunderbolt storage or a high-refresh display
The Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB) has three Thunderbolt 5 ports. The USB-C port on the GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) runs at 5 Gbps and is not Thunderbolt.
$649.99
- + Price: $649.99
- + Storage Capacity: 1 TB
- - Rating: 4.4 vs 4.8
- - Memory Type: DDR4 vs LPDDR5X
Winner
6% OFF
$1499.00
$1599.00
- + Rating: 4.8
- + Memory Type: LPDDR5X
- + Memory Speed: 8533 MT/s
- - Price: $1499.00 vs $649.99
- - Storage Capacity: 512 GB vs 1 TB
What owners say
Owners of the Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB) describe a machine that stays quiet while it takes professional work: video timelines, software builds and local language models, often driving a large or ultrawide display. The lack of a bundled monitor is framed as the reason the money sits in the chip. What they warn about is permanence. Memory and the SSD are soldered, so several people moved overflow files to external Thunderbolt storage, and the missing USB-A ports, SD reader and lock slot send older gear through a dock. A few also note that a computer with no screen still asks a workstation price.
Price history compared
Every price change of both, in the same store, so the gap between the two lines is what one costs more than the other.
- GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB)
- Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB)
Loading price history...
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, the GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) or the Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB)?
The Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB) for heavy creative and development work on macOS. The GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) for a lower priced Windows office PC with 1 TB, upgradeable DDR4 and a VESA mount. They share a similar footprint and almost nothing else.
Is the GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) a Mac mini M2 Pro?
No. The GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) is a Windows 11 Pro mini PC with an Intel Core i7-1185G7, not an Apple M2 Pro. The Mac in this comparison is the Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB), a 12-core M4 Pro with 24 GB of unified memory.
GMKtec or Mac mini: what separates the GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) from the Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB)?
The chip, the system and what you can upgrade. A four-core 11th Gen Intel CPU with socketed memory and 1 TB, against a 12-core M4 Pro with soldered 24 GB and 512 GB. The GMKtec has 2.5G Ethernet. The Mac has Thunderbolt 5.
Does the GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB) have USB4 or Thunderbolt like the Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB)?
No. Its USB-C port is specified at 5 Gbps with DisplayPort output. The Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB) has three Thunderbolt 5 ports plus two USB 3 Type-C ports. That is the gap if you want a fast dock or external SSD.
Who should buy the GMKtec NucBox M2 Pro S (16GB + 1TB)?
Someone who wants a very small Windows desktop for browsers, documents, calls and three 4K screens, with 16 GB they can take to 64 GB and a second drive bay, and who does not need an NPU or Thunderbolt.
Who should buy the Apple Mac Mini (M4 Pro 24GB + 512GB)?
Someone editing, compiling or running local models on macOS who already owns a monitor and accepts soldered 24 GB and 512 GB in exchange for Thunderbolt 5 and the M4 Pro.
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